Thursday, June 2, 2011

En español / Ruben Diaz: a record of public hatred going back to Gay Games IV

In New York State, where there is a big push for marriage equality, including support from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, opposition remains strong.

Among the loudest voices against marriage equality is noted homophobe Ruben Diaz, a New York State Senator and Pentecostalist minister. Even if you don't speak Spanish, check out the video, if only for the hat.

A translation of the interview has been done, and here are a couple of extracts concerning Gay Games IV, where Diaz first made his mark as a homophobe:

Benitez (NY1 Noticias journalist): And in '94, you objected to New York City's hosting of the Gay Games. You said then, "some of the gay and lesbian athletes will arrive infected with AIDS" and you also said "children will conclude that if there are so many gay athletes, that there is nothing wrong with being gay." Don't you think that the gay community has reason to find these comments hurtful?

[...]

Benitez: You make many comments that many people find insulting.
Sen. Díaz: They are not insulting. What I am saying is that when the Olympics came, Michael Jordan [sic - he apparently meant Magic Johnson] was prohibited from leaving this country, and other countries over there prohibited Michael Jordan [sic] from crossing their borders because he had AIDS [sic - Magic Johnson, not Michael Jordan, has HIV, which has not progressed to AIDS]. So what I said was why is it that we should permit them [the Gay Games athletes] to enter here...?

Benitez: So was it not because you thought that children would think that there was nothing wrong with being gay?
Sen. Díaz: Yes, I say that today.

Benitez: So you would say that today? So is the criticism against you not justified when you say such things about the gay community?
Sen. Díaz: No, because for me, as pastor and minister, homosexuality, Biblically, should not be.